The dark side of Morgan Freeman: “I was not always coming across the way I intended”
As one of the most distinguished veterans Hollywood has at its disposal, Morgan Freeman has settled comfortably into the role of an elder statesman. It’s a part that has become increasingly synonymous with lending his wizened gravitas to any project in desperate need of a kindly father figure ready to dispense sage words of wisdom at a moment’s notice.
In addition to an Academy Award win to his name for ‘Best Supporting Actor’, he has a string of unforgettable performances in productions as diverse as Street Smart, Driving Miss Daisy, The Shawshank Redemption, Unforgiven, the Dark Knight trilogy, Million Dollar Baby, and Glory under his belt. Freeman is firmly established as a living legend, having also garnered significant attention for his side-line in voiceover work.
However, a number of troubling allegations and accusations have been made towards the star over the years, forcing him to issue two separate public apologies along the way. Following a wide-ranging investigation, no less than eight women working in a variety of professional capacities on a number of productions came forward, claiming Freeman had sexually harassed them.
A production assistant informed CNN that the Oscar winner “kept trying to lift up my skirt and asking if I was wearing underwear”. Another revealed that if the female members of the production staff “knew he was coming by,” they’d make a conscious decision “not to wear any top that would show our breasts, not to wear anything that would show our bottoms,” based entirely on his perceived reputation.
After the initial allegations, Freeman issued a statement outlining how “anyone who knows me or has worked with me knows I am not someone who would intentionally offend or knowingly make anyone uneasy”. He explained that it “was never my intent” to create an uncomfortable environment.
He would even issue a second apology shortly afterwards, where he promised he’d “continue to apologise to anyone I might have upset, however unintentionally.” Protesting his innocence, Freeman put it down to a simple case of miscommunication. “Clearly, I was not always coming across the way I intended,” which is underselling it based on the claims levelled against him.
Freeman was also followed for years by rumours he’d been having an affair with his first wife’s granddaughter, E’Dena Hines, who was stabbed to death by her boyfriend in 2015. When Lamar Davenport stood trial for the murder, his legal representatives explicitly named Freeman as part of the defence, telling the jury that “her grandfather engaged in a sexually inappropriate relationship with her”. At the same time, Davenport’s mother openly blamed Freeman for her daughter’s death before she was forcibly removed from the courtroom.
Both parties denied the claims repeatedly and vehemently, and while it was never proven true, it’s nonetheless enshrined in court documents as having been a key part of the trial. Even when it applies to his long-time business associate, though, Freeman has developed a habit of putting his foot right in his mouth.
When talking about his producing partner Lori McCreary, the star said, “She doesn’t want to be thought of as a pretty face. She wants to be thought of as serious.” And yet, he still decided to end his assessment by reflecting on how “you can’t get away from the short dresses”. When he was informed his remarks could be construed as sexist, Freeman admitted it. “Sexist? Yeah, but I’m not misogynistic.”
Of course, Freeman has never been charged, never mind convicted of any of the offences, but eight women coming forward and two separate apologies being issued as a rebuttal could suggest he wasn’t quite a completely innocent party. He remains a popular and in-demand personality, but even the most beloved of names can have some skeletons in their closet regardless of their status, standing, or reputation.
